Category Archives: Toronto Maple Leafs

Should the leafs get a winger or another centerman? I think they should get another center and have two dominant lines. Move Sundin along with ponikarovsky and antropov to the second line and have a new number one line to take some pressure off sundin.

John Ferguson, vice-president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Thursday that the club has re-signed defenceman Staffan Kronwall to a two-year contract extension.

Kronwall, 24, began the 2006-07 season with the Maple Leafs, but was assigned to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL) on November 14. He played 47 games for the Marlies, collecting 17 points (3 goals, 14 assists) with 32 penalty minutes. Following the conclusion of the AHL regular season he was named the Marlies ‘Best Defenceman.’

The Leafs situation this off season shouldn’t be to difficult. They need 1 top line winger, 1 second line center, and a backup goalie. Assuming, and I think it’s a fair assumption, the Leafs GM resigns Antropov, Battaglia, Williams, Colaiacovo, Kronwall, Harrison, and Racine. There line up will have three holes, the three I mentioned, and I want to know who you would fill the blanks with for the right budget.

If the Leafs want a good team next season, then they don’t have to do alot. The last few seasons they have had a prettty good team, they just haven’t built on it. Last season they didn’t really do anything besides drafting Tlustly and getting Raycroft. This season they aren’t really in a different situation. Both years they finished 9’th and rellied on a different team to get them in, unfortunatley both years the team they wanted to win didn’t win.

As talked about this morning on the fan 590; finally my exact thoughts were voiced across Toronto and it’s surrounding area. None of the NHL playoff games have ranked in the top 25 TV rankings within the Torotno and surrounding area poplulation.

This solidifies my thoughts and what I have preached about over and over again…Toronto is in love with the Leafs and not the NHL or hockey for that matter. It’s a Leaf city not a Hockey city.

Wellwood, Stajan, Steen, Pogge, Carlo, White, all have come via the draft something both Quinn and JFJ have somewhat succeeded at. Everyone wants to put together all these high priced UFA’s but lets look to the future and see whats in store for the 2007 NHL draft.

“An unrestricted free agent on July 1st, Backstrom said he feels his heart is with the team in Minnesota, and made that point clear to his agent last weekend. It’s believed Backstrom is worth over $3 million per season but re-signing him could force the Wild into trading netminder Manny Fernandez.ESPN.COM/AP “

Mats Sundin is still and elite player and a great leader. However, his years are getting to him. Now im not going out and saying get rid of him like many people on this website would. Sundin will need a heir and it will cost us. Our absolute best option would be send a package and steal one of Malkin or Staal but in all likely hood that wont happen. Our second best option would be making this trade.